How Karma Got Even
by JuleeT
Summary: What went around, always, always came around." Future Literati.


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* * *

-How Karma got Even- [1/1]**

**Author's Note:** I am in no way affiliated with Gilmore Girls or any of its characters.

**Story Summary**: "What went around, always, always came around." Future Literati.

Jess gets a lesson in Karma. [1/1] Extreme Fluff Ahead.

* * *

During his teenage years, Luke had always warned him that Karma was a bitch.

_'You better shape up or Karma's gonna give your ass a good kicking. You'll get stuck with a kid just like you.' _

Instead, Karma had gifted him with an angelic daughter with wide, innocent blue eyes.

Jess smirked whenever Luke grumbled about Karma and the unfairness of it all.

What he didn't know was that Karma had a memory like an elephant-

And what went around, always, always came around.

* * *

When Jess and Rory had moved back to Stars Hollow from Manhattan, Lorelai had been able to observe for herself why their relationship seemed to work.

It was easy, really. She wondered why she had never seen it before.

Rory had Jess wrapped around her little finger.

To the outside world, he may have appeared to be the one in control. But behind closed doors, Rory was the one with the real control.

Lorelai had thought to herself that no one could possibly have more power over Jess.

She had been wrong.

If Rory had her husband wrapped around her little finger, Lori had him tied around hers prettily with the pink ribbon she adored.

Lorelai couldn't really blame him. After all, little Lori Mariano had held the whole town of Stars Hollow firmly under her tiny thumb from the time that she was born, with a mere batting of long eyelashes over crystalline blue eyes.

Now at the ripe old age of four, Lori knew the kind of power she held over the unsuspecting populace, especially her father.

And she used it mercilessly.

* * *

_'I wanna be a ballerina, Daddy.' _Lori had whispered sleepily to him on their trip back to Stars Hollow after watching the "Nutcracker".

Rory had been unable to hide her small smile when Jess had bent lovingly over his daughter's silky mink locks.

'_You can be anything you want.' _He had whispered back.

But both Rory and Jess had been surprised when Lori had asked to be enrolled in Ballet School the next morning.

Lori, with her insatiable curiousity, had claimed to want to be everything from a farmer to a fire fighter. However, it was the first time she had actually taken the initiative towards her new career goal.

Jess, with the proclamation that his daughter shouldn't be denied anything her little heart wanted, had rushed Rory over to Ms. Patti's School of ballet and waited in the car as Rory signed Lori up for the classes starting up in a week's time.

Before disappearing off into his study to continue his next best-seller, Jess reminded Rory that she needed to pick up a leotard and tutu for Lori on her way back from the work.

'_Remember it needs to be pink. A soft pink, not a harsh one. Lori hates harsh pinks.' _Jess stated as he kissed his wife good-bye.

Rory nodded encouragingly, struggling not to giggle.

* * *

She brought home a neon pink leotard and tutu.

Lori struggled not to pout but with her wide blue eyes brimming with unshed tears when she looked at herself in the mirror, it was obvious to one and all that she was not pleased.

Jess cuddled her close, telling her that she looked like a princess.

'_I look ugly.' _Lori had replied with a sniffle.

'_Mommy will get you another one, sweetie.' _Jess answered, pulling Lori onto his lap and wiping away a tear.

But little Lori Mariano shook her head vehemently.

_'I want you to buy it for me.' _She pleaded.

'_Me?' _Jess asked uncomfortably.

Rory, perched on the love seat, bit back a grin.

_'Please daddy.' _Lori begged.

When her pleas didn't seem to be working, Lori widened her eyes, using the puppy-dog look that always got her the extra cookie for dessert when she stayed over at Grampa Luke's.

'_Please-' _She begged again.

Even as he knew that he would regret it, Jess agreed.

If his baby girl wanted him to buy her a tutu, he was going to get her a tutu.

* * *

Jess' endeavors took the whole morning.

He had thought that it would be a simple affair. Head to the ballet department of Bloomingdale's, find a tutu and leotard Lori would like, purchase it, then leave.

He had given it thirty minutes at most.

It was his third hour scouring the endless display of little girl's leotards and tutus.

Then he saw it.

A wispy concoction of soft pink and silver glitter, he knew that Lori would love it.

Quickly grabbing one in Lori's size, he speedily headed for the nearest register.

'_Jess.' _An amused voice behind him greeted.

Jess cursed once then turned around, shoving the glittery outfit behind him.

_'Dean.' _He stated gruffly, hoping that he had been quick enough to hide it.

Folding the sweater he had come to purchase over one arm, Dean nonchalantly gestured towards Jess' purchase.

_'A little small for you, isn't it?' _Dean had asked with a smirk.

_' What?' _Jess asked with a growl.

_'Looks like an extra small, I would say that you needed at least a medium.' _

Lori would have been delighted with the pink that the tips of her father's ears turned.

* * *

It was spread throughout Stars Hollow's elaborate grapevine within the hour.

Jess Mariano's gruff exterior was a mere front for the cuddly, wuddly teddy bear that existed inside.

After all, Dean Forrester had seen him buying a soft pink leotard and tutu with silver glitter at Bloomingdale's.

And no self-respecting, broody, loner would have allowed himself to be caught buying a soft pink leotard and tutu with silver glitter at Bloomingdale's.

Even Lori's ecstatic joy at her new ballet outfit couldn't help Jess out of his utter despair of being caught by his worst enemy holding something pink and glittery.

Had Lori been caught drawing chalked figures on the sidewalk, running off with one of Babette's gnomes, or even doodling in the margins of a public library book, Jess would have been able to shrug it off with a smirk.

Which was why Karma hadn't gifted him with a child exactly like himself.

The rest of the year, everytime that Ms. Patti's ballet troupe put on a performance (which was every week), everyone would sigh a collective '_Aw' _and look in Jess' direction as Lori Mariano gracefully tiptoed on stage in her pink and glittery ballerina outfit.

After shooting his daughter a smile that he hoped looked proud,

Jess would grumble on about Karma and the unfairness of it all, as Luke would smirk, satisfied.

'_I told you Karma would get even.' _

-The End-

Any and All Reviews/Criticisms will be greatly appreciated.


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